RESOURCE: Storage Tanks

[Lightspeed]

We found this company to be good.

They are offering good value over a huge range of storage tanks for water, oils and sewerage.

http://www.watertanksdirect.co.uk/baffled_water_tanks

[David075]

Quite a good selection , water storage is a big problem for me , its the no.1 for survival but takes up so much space .

[Lightspeed]

(9 August 2013, 08:34)David075 Wrote: Quite a good selection , water storage is a big problem for me , its the no.1 for survival but takes up so much space .

I think its the elephant in the room for most of us.

Its very scary when you do the calculations.

The amount of clean drinkable water that we squander in normal daily life is shameful.

[Steve]

IBC containers hold 1000l and cost about £50 for food grade types. Immaculate IBCs, typically used for one trip full of syrup, seem to go for around £60. I tried to collect some this week but local trader was on holiday. The outlet is quite large, but loads of fittings are available cheaply, including the popular Hoselock type. They can be stacked when full as they have a galvanized steel frame, so gravity can be used for distribution.

I currently have 2750l stored, but intend to add another 10,000l by winter.

[Binnie]

Hi steve.

How are they to be stored? is freezing an issue?

[Lightspeed]

(9 August 2013, 09:15)Steve Wrote: IBC containers hold 1000l and cost about £50 for food grade types. Immaculate IBCs, typically used for one trip full of syrup, seem to go for around £60. I tried to collect some this week but local trader was on holiday. The outlet is quite large, but loads of fittings are available cheaply, including the popular Hoselock type. They can be stacked when full as they have a galvanized steel frame, so gravity can be used for distribution.

I currently have 2750l stored, but intend to add another 10,000l by winter.

Jeez Steve, You'll be able to float your own Arc in all that!

IBCs are what I've ordered for main storage too. I am mounting them in an elevated positin with in one of the barns. Hopefully that'll give us good gravity feed and also keep them away from light and external temeratures.

I'd also like to know about how you've fared re freezing

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BTW, The link above was found as I have been searching for a certain type of coffin tank in which to store filtered potable water in the main house attic. Their prices seem pretty keen.

[Steve]

My current 2750l tank is a heating oil tank, bunded ( double layer ). It's been used for rainwater storage for years with no damage. Water is fed down to animal troughs by gravity and up to a sprinkler system in the polytunnel by electric pump with pressure vessel. I drained the electric pump last January when I moved in, but it's a simple job to put it into an insulated box and lag the pipework. Some of the distribution pipework is buried deep enough to be OK, but the overhead sprinklers would be damaged if I didn't drain them.

I will install the IBC containers in a cube shape, linked with lagged pipes, and surround the whole lot with straw bales and bale wrap. I have a lot of old carpet to use too. If this doesn't work I'll have to bury them and rely on pumps.

[Lightspeed]

(9 August 2013, 18:53)Steve Wrote: My current 2750l tank is a heating oil tank, bunded ( double layer ). It's been used for rainwater storage for years with no damage. Water is fed down to animal troughs by gravity and up to a sprinkler system in the polytunnel by electric pump with pressure vessel. I drained the electric pump last January when I moved in, but it's a simple job to put it into an insulated box and lag the pipework. Some of the distribution pipework is buried deep enough to be OK, but the overhead sprinklers would be damaged if I didn't drain them.

I will install the IBC containers in a cube shape, linked with lagged pipes, and surround the whole lot with straw bales and bale wrap. I have a lot of old carpet to use too. If this doesn't work I'll have to bury them and rely on pumps.

Yes, I'm going the straw bale route too. My Barns are realy ancient with extremely thick walls so the buildings have very good thermal mass which generally staves off the cold until the very end of the winter... trouble is that if it freezes then, the tehrmal mass works against me and I'll have an ice house till summer:-(

Thanks for the heads up on your setup.

[Highlander]

(9 August 2013, 15:25)Binnie Wrote: Hi steve.

How are they to be stored? is freezing an issue?

I would guess that a 1000 Ltr tank is not going to freeze easily because of the volume,... but just in cased I plan to drain off a quarter from both of mine, that will give enough room to expand if it does freeze and do no damage

I would be a little wary of storing them one on top of another,.. one of my tanks filled up with rain water and burst a small part of the metal casing as it filled out,.. so if it can do that it doesn't bowed well for stacking them full

[Steve]

They can be stacked full. Some types can be stacked 5 high, others just 2 high.

On a related note, my shipping container data plate says it can support 193 tonnes - wow.